Slipping Through My Fingers
by Lady Hito
Summary: Finn has plans. Meredith loves that he has plans, and can't wait to be a part of them. But coming into Seattle Grace one day, Meredith feels the familiar feeling of dreada feeling she hadn't felt since the Code Black incident.


**A/N: My first "Grey's Anatomy" fanfic! I wrote this for a fanfiction contest on a message board, so it's meant to be a one-shot, unless there's demand for it not to be. I had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope you enjoy reading it!**

* * *

**Slipping Through My Fingers  
A Grey's Anatomy Fanfiction  
By Lady Hito**

"Do you have any plans for tonight?"

Meredith Grey glanced at Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd, pressing the appropriate elevator button as the doors closed. She had tried to avoid this situation many times, but it didn't seem to work, as at some point or another, they were both in the elevator together. But this time, she would resist the temptation to kiss him, to make out with him, because she now knew he was married, and because now she had Finn. And Finn had plans for them both, together, plans for the future.

"I have a date." She replied, grinning triumphantly as the doors opened at the lobby.

"Oh." Derek stepped out of the elevator after Meredith, stepping aside for other people to get on. "Well, then, have fun."

"Thank you, I will." With that, Meredith spun on her heel and proceeded to exit Seattle Grace Hospital, sliding into her old van and driving home.

* * *

"Wear this, wear this!" Isobel "Izzie" Stevens, Meredith's roommate and fellow intern at Seattle Grace, shoved a garment into Meredith's arms. 

The blouse was pink, and far too bright a color for Meredith's taste. "I'm not wearing that, Izzie." She handed the blouse back to the blonde girl.

"Oh, come on! It's so cute!"

"No, Izzie." Meredith shuffled through her closet. She picked out a white top and black pants, throwing the outfit on her bed and ushering Izzie out of her room.

After changing, Meredith stepped out of her room and almost ran into George O'Malley, another roommate and fellow intern at the hospital. "Oh, George! Hi." She flashed him a quick smile.

"Hey, Meredith, where are you going?"

"I'm going on a date." Meredith's smile expanded. "With Finn."

George smiled as well, glad that his roommate--and former crush--was finally moving on, away from "Dr. McDreamy," who constantly disappointed her and continually broke her heart. "Well, have fun."

"Don't you have a date with Callie tonight?" Meredith frowned, not wanting to be the only one excited about a night out.

George shook his head. "She's on call tonight. But we have plans tomorrow, so don't worry." He hastily assured.

Meredith grinned again. "I feel like an idiot for being so damn happy, but I'm going on a date with Finn! One that doesn't involve animals!" She practically danced down the stairs.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang, and Meredith opened the door to find her McVet standing on the doorstep, dressed in jeans and a checkered shirt, looking cuter than ever.

"Hi." Meredith greeted, smiling.

"Ready to go?" Finn asked, returning the smile.

"Of course." Meredith stepped out to join him on the doorstep. "You guys, I'm leaving!" She called back into the house. There was a chorus of 'byes' before she slammed the door shut.

"So, where are we going?"

"You'll see."

* * *

They arrived at a fancy Italian restaurant, a couple miles away from her home. Although it was so close, Meredith had never been there to eat, and she was glad her first time there was with Finn. 

Once seated, they ordered their entrees and sat for a moment, just gazing at the other.

"So, is this okay?" Finn asked, breaking the sweet silence. However, smitten as Meredith was, the sound of his voice was sweeter and the most melodious sound her ears had ever heard.

"Uh-huh..." She dreamily nodded.

He smiled and reached for her hand across the table. "Good." He whispered.

Their food came then, and conversation ceased as they ate. Meredith found herself rushing through the meal, hardly tasting it, just wanting to hear his delightful voice again.

"Do they work you hard at the hospital, or something?" Finn asked, amusement in his voice.

Meredith stuffed the last bit of food into her waiting mouth, chewing and swallowing before answering. "Not really."

"So are you just really hungry, or do you usually eat like this when you go to a restaurant?" Finn grinned. "Or, wait, is my cooking that bad?"

"Oh, my God, your cooking sucks!" Meredith laughed, Finn joining in. "I'm just kidding."

Finn stopped laughing and fixed Meredith with a serious look. "Meredith...I wasn't kidding when I said I had plans. For the two of us." He said softly.

Meredith nodded, reaching across the table to place her hand over his. "I know. And I'm glad to be a part of those plans."

Finn smiled and leaned in to kiss his date. But before their lips met, he stopped, and asked, "Is it okay if I kiss you now?"

Meredith giggled. "Don't make me wait."

And their lips met.

* * *

Meredith could not seem to fight the feeling of dread she felt walking into Seattle Grace that morning. 

"It's the same feeling I had when we had the Code Black. I feel like I'm going to die today." She confided in Christina Yang, another fellow intern.

"Seriously?" Christina raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously." Meredith sighed. "How's Burke?" She asked, referring to Christina's boyfriend, a surgeon at Seattle Grace. He had been shot a week earlier, and now lay as a patient in the hospital.

"Good." As usual, Christina's reply was short. "Oh, look, there's an ambulance coming."

The two, along with their other peers, followed their resident, Bailey, to the entrance of the floor, where an ambulance had just pulled up.

"Male, late twenties, maybe early thirties. Head on collision with a truck."

"Uh-huh...alright, who wants to get in on this case?"

"I do!" All five interns shouted.

Bailey peered into the ambulance, a frown creasing her features. "Uhh...you're all in. Except Grey."

The other four interns looked just as shocked as Meredith felt.

"Don't just stand there." Bailey snapped at the four interns on the case. "Get your butts moving!"

"Dr. Bailey." Meredith followed Bailey to the side of the ambulance. "What is going on?"

"I don't think you're suited for this case, Grey. Go start rounds."

"No. Not until you tell me why I can't get in on this case."

"You want to know why, Grey?" Bailey finally lost her patience with her intern. "Then you go take a look at that patient."

The feeling of dread worsened as Meredith slowly approached the stretcher her peers were crowded around.

"Uh, Mere, I don't--" George tried to stop her.

"No." Meredith shook her head as she recognized the patient. "No. No, no, no!" She staggered back.

The patient was Finn.

* * *

Meredith was hysterical. "Not Finn. Not Finn." She cried over and over again. 

"Meredith."

Meredith looked up to find Derek. "What?" She snapped.

"He's conscious. Do you want to talk to him?"

Meredith was already making her way through the doors to Finn's side. "Oh, Finn." Tears filled her eyes again.

"Hey." Finn attempted to smile, then winced at the pain from the cuts on his face.

"Finn--"

"Shh, shh..." Finn reached up to stroke her now tear-streaked face. "Don't cry. I love you, don't cry."

Meredith wanted so much to say how she loved him in return, but the words wouldn't come. All she could managed was another choked cry.

"I'll always love you..." Finn's arm dropped back to his side as the machines hooked up to him began to beep furiously.

"He's coding!" Derek, Bailey, and several nurses rushed in and began to administer CPR. One of the nurses pulled Meredith away.

"No!" Meredith shrieked, trying to grab onto Finn's hand again. "Finn!"

Everything seemed to happen in a blur. One moment, the whole room was bustling, and the next, all was silent, except from the flat tone of the machines.

"I'm calling it." Bailey sighed, stepping away from the bed. "Time of death--7:52."

"No..." Meredith sobbed, grabbing onto his now cold hand. "No, Finn, no...what about our plans? What the hell about our plans!" She cried.

"Meredith..." Bailey tried to pry her intern away from Finn's body.

The barrier between the three words Meredith had wanted to tell Finn seemed to disappear--but too late.

"I love you." She whispered hoarsely. "I love you."

Her feeling had been right this time. She may not have died physcially, but the emotional pain was enough to kill her. For it is very true that you don't know what you have...

...Until it's gone.

* * *


End file.
